Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-09-18

made with Baroffski might be supposed
| by youto have been the ctofa drunkard;
il was that Of mailman merely. Ba-
roffski shook hands with my fellow
chorus singer and proposed to walk
with me. as were going IN the same di-
rection. As we threaded our way
through the dreary labyrinths OF mud
DIV streets Baroffski laughed
"'Yon mus. feel this sordid misery,
my fricnd-you a gentleman.
81 said, NO; things might have
been worse
"'And you envy no onc?' said the
Pole.
"No one, replied
"At that moment perfectly appoint
ed brougham drawn 10y pair of mag
nificcnt bays dashed by, and lounging
in it was Osculanti, the celebrated tenor,
in cloak Of priceless sables. The mud
splashed me.
9" You do not envy even him 2
laughed 'Well, perhaps | must,
said: who would not? y .tOrtunQf<f
nimjUm! he has indeed all the heart
can wish for.
"And so might you have, replied
the Pole in kissing whisper.
"'If had his voice, replied, his
wonderful voice
"He laughed aloud. Merely that.
be said 'all You want is a phenoms-
nal voice; don't you wish you hal
ODe?'
"Wish had!' cried; wish | had
the greatest gift OF Heaven to the hat
men race ? OF course do. Bat,
alas Doctor, that feat-the changing
the quality of the human voice--is as
yet beyond your art.
"Be not too sure Of that stranger
things than that have been done"
." looked at him. Perhaps the good
Chianti wine had affected his head.
Bah OF course he was merely joking.
| smiled.
"'Good, night, Doctor" 1 said,
taking out my latch-key. for we had
reached my door when You can do
that | Will be your first patient
"Do You mean III? he said as he
earnestly regarded me-,
"'Mean it OF course do. But I
suppose the fee would be prohibitive 2
49, No. not prohibitive, but high. If
you will invite me in | viii be more cx-
! plicit. We may come to terms
81 had evidently come across an
original. Having made his joke he
chung to it.
by all means. There is, think,
a fire. and if you will smoke a ciga-
rottc, as you say, we may come to
terms.
"Ec followed m in. There was for
tunatclya fire. Declining my cigarette
the Pole drew his chair close t. mine.
"''You are man TO be trusted, SO
your friend tells ne. Can you be
secret secret as thc crave =
~ STATED. The man was thea mad
or serious. ] assured him OK my secre-
cy. he continued:
60 Ever since commenced my mcGi-
cal studies the mechanism which pro-
duceo the voice las greatly interested
ne. IN fact. as soon as the general
work nCcossitatcd by ny preparation
for ny various examinations had ceased
and / became n. ID. of the University
Of Warsaw, devoted my attention
solely to the study Of the human vocal
organs. In the course Of my spe-
ciel studies il had occurred to me
that the organs of voice might
he so modified by artificial means
as to improve on Nature herself
Why, thought /, should all men not DC
able to produce the sounds We 80 much
admire in the fashionable tenor Oscu-
lanti, for instance? 1 saw no reason.
/ consequently directed my attention t.
the examination Of the vocal organs Of
professional singers, and / found ont a
way of producing by means of me-
chanical appliance change of voice
Unfortunately the tenor and soprano
voices | cannot produce, but / flatter
myself that with the bass voice have
perfectly succeeded. You follow me-.
- nodded.
Having succeeded, he continued,
in producing Il voice of phenomenal
capacity and volume 10y my mechanical
appliance ] should be able to reap my
reward if only ! were possessed of an
educated voice, however weak but,
unfortunately for me, my parents-my
miserable sayaGes of parents-neglect-
cd to give me any instruction IN music.
Alas | do not know one tune from
another. Italian also is a closed book
TO me. al, then, that | need is an
honest man who can sing in italian. |
think that l have found that man in
you
Il bowed and smiled. This man
was evidently mailman or harmless
enthusiast.
"'And you, Signor Doromi-which
would you prefer, seriously, the posi-
ton of Osculanti, the careless favorite
of fortune, or that of the humble
chorus singer
'Osculanti's, without doubt. But
can You give it me ? / said.
90 | can, he replied. Listen to my
terms. l will be your factotum, your
agent, your steward. | viii pay You
the salary Of Osculanti, but You shall
sing when | please. where please, and
as much as / please. VIII provide
YOU with a voice, dear Doremi- such
voice ! Would you like to hear it 2
81 expressed my desire to do so. 70
my establishment the Pole took a small
morocco case from his pocket, placed
a candle before the glass, opened his
jaws, and appeared TO aiiiX something
to the roof OF his mouth.
"Tbis is the voice, he chanted in q
MAGNIFICENT bass.
a. was astounded, it was true, then.
Before had time to speak the Pole had
removed the appliance and replaced it
in the little case.
"'You believe me now ?" he said.
81 embraced him. DR.. Barolski,
Won have made the world your debtor
! The voice-ah the voice. Never,
never had human voice such tone.
Give me but that voice, and Lablache
and the rest of them are nowhere.
"'My friend you can have it in the
morning. But my terms-you do not for
get my terms Unjust have obedience
absolute obedience and secrecy ; in re-
turn for which give You the salary and
position of Osculanti. Is it agreed 2
az agree, l cried, with enthusiasm.
Give me the little case
"'SignOr DOremi, you are precipi-
tate. Tomorrow at eleven shall wait
On you, if you are still of the same
mind and you shall have the voice,
the beautiful voice, which /, miserable
| wretch that am do not know how %